web design

In order to understand web design industry, you must be willing to think and look beyond the outward feel of the website. There is more to than meets the eye. “Behind the scenes” goes a lot of effort and sleepless nights that we as visitors enjoy exploring, surfing and researching.

What are they? Without further ado let us find out:

Know that browsers render each website differently

If you were to access a particular website from your Google Chrome browser, you will see that it appears differently than when the same is viewed from an Android phone’s browser such UC or Dolphin (popular with most smartphone users). Heck, even the Chrome version of mobile will show it differently than that exhibited on desktop.

For all the technically equipped personnel out there, the terms parsing and rendering wouldn’t be alien. However, for those who are only beginning to grasp the wonders of web design, let us break it down for you. Parsing and rendering simply mean that there is a certain manner in which web browsers translate codes.

Web browsers interpret code in a specific order and on other occasions it won’t even recognize the code at all. Now if this is beginning to interest you, you can search online how each browser parses code and in turn, renders it on the screen that all we see or interact with.

For newbie developers, it can get extremely tricky since they have to come up with a website that will cater to every browser’s rendering ability. For those who specialize in the HTML and CSS languages can easily figure out a way how to address the said nuisance. They run browser compatibility testing before going live with their website.

These compatibility runs usually reveal any bugs or limitations that the site may be facing. Hence, the necessary fix for a given issue can be identified and subsequently applied.

A great design will drive your visitor’s will focus

Well, this calls for thorough research as to where the visitor will focus when he is engaging with your website but don’t worry we have already taken care of such research. We are not here to tell you to go and undertake the research, will be only sharing info with you.

Nielsen Norman Group’s survey suggests that the website that packs clear and scannable layout are more likely to witness user engagement for increased period of time. I ask you if you were to visit a website with the intention of finding something there and are unable to do so quickly, what taste it will leave in your mouth, pretty bad right?

Thus, the focus of web designers should be and is on developing websites that will have the visitor directed towards important aspects of the website where they are likely to find information they seek such as your company’s blog or your online store etc.

Development phase also includes the use of heat maps and analytical tools in the background by means of which designers know which areas of the site were visited the most so they can work on optimizing those areas for enhanced user experience (UX).

Even a 2-year old website is too old

The technology is an evolving phenomenon and designers have to keep up or they will go obsolete. A good designer knows this and will always be proactive in his approach towards website designing. The browsers and devices on which websites are accessed are in constant state of change, the way the website development is carried out should also change.

In order to remain relevant and current in the digital age, web designers stay on top of their game by learning latest in coding standards, browser compatibility updates and search engine algorithms. If not then the website becomes outdated and entails the risk of not getting noticed or even showing up in search results.

That can be a huge blow for a business that has an online presence. If the website is old you will face display issues in the browser, formatting problems, and again, not showing up in search results. Therefore, even a two-year-old website is as good as a decade old website if not updated on a regular basis.

Don’t rely on templates

Almost anything you want to do online, you will have countless templates available at your disposal. Although, it offers an easy and a quick fix, however, when it comes to designing websites templates are a no-no. It is because if you are employing a template then that means you don’t require any prior coding knowledge.

This puts a cap on what you can do with the design. Given, it is a template, you cannot edit or customize for any of your needs. Also, it is not difficult to identify a template. Any user with a meticulous eye can spot a template when they visit your website as templates are packed with bloated codes. Many of the design elements will unwanted there.

So when you can customize design elements therein, is there a point in resorting to templates? If an area needs improvement, with the template in place, you can hardly do anything to improve UX. Consequently, your website will be pushed into a corner and your web presence lost.

Code your website to capitalize on SERPs

You can have the most visually stunning website in the world but if you have no users visiting your website, all that show is in vain. As outlined in the point above, if your site is not well coded it will not show up in search engine result pages (SERPs).

If it is not being shown in SERPs then that means your audience cannot find it. Thus, web professionals have this task to code your website so that it can be located upon users searching for a specific keyword(s) or phrase when they type into Google or any other search engine.

Search engines are responsible for bringing traffic to your website and best coding practices should be followed in order to leverage this forum to its maximum.

Technology has never ceased to surprise us. From the invention of wheel in 3,500 B.C to supersonic air travel, humanity has witnessed the true power of the mind and its creations for more than 5000 years. With the latest marvel of technology, the ‘Internet’, everything from news, information and commerce has been revolutionized. Now with the unlimited access of internet and the feasible mobile technology, the young users are leading the online trends with land slide usage on daily basis. In this article we will share you the secrets to winning these younger audiences with 4 proven practices.

Why The Young Users Are Important to You?

Before you decide on creating an online presence, it is imperative that you consider the demographics of your audience. Many brands use this to gather statistics about their products and bring successful marketing campaigns into motion. This allows them to quantitatively evaluate the consumer demand and segment them according to their products.

For instance, a website that sells gaming consoles would know better to target the younger consumers given that a greater majority of gaming products are bought by or for youngsters. However, in order to bring the young audience to your website and convert them, there are certain things that must be taken into account. In this article we will explain 4 practices that you can use to lure the younger users to your website.

1. Mobile Responsive Web Design

The first thing you need to do is make your website mobile savvy. Handheld devices such as smartphones, iPhone and tablets are becoming more common with the progressing technology. They are a lot cheaper than they used to (except for iPhones) and give you access to fast internet technology on the palm of your hand.

Over the past few years, the age composition of internet users has overwhelmingly shifted to the younger users for the obvious reasons. Every child of this age now demands an iPhone as their birthday present. They also take a lot of interest in technology instead of sports or other activities. By adding a mobile responsive design, you will open your gates to the younger users who are more than willing to buy from your website. For instance, FMEextensions, which is a web design company in Dubai, has fully capitalized on this practice.

2. Digestible Content

Your content matters especially when you are pitching to younger audience. The younger generation is busier than ever. They hardly ever indulge in longer versions of content when they can view or read it in a lesser amount of time. Hence your aim should be creating short and concise content that delivers on point information. You must integrate a design that reflects simplicity with a flare of elements that younger users prefer. You can showcase a range of artistic images in the start followed by a short introduction and then your features. To make sure the content is neatly presented, use plenty of white spacing so the elements can be easily distinguished from each other. Keeping an organized show of website contents attracts younger audience like bees to honey.

3. Stand by A Cause

Standing for a cause is always a great thing, even more so when it’s associated with Philanthropy. Standing for a noble cause not only gives you moral satisfaction, but also reflects peerage amongst your competitors. Younger audiences have great tendencies to part take and contribute in such motions. By associating your website with charity, philanthropy or awareness, you can bring young users to your pages faster than ever. You can start by environment awareness posts on social media or blogs, animal rights campaigns, petition on improved medical care for breast cancer patients, or any other cause that you feel should be addressed through your platform.

4. Focus on Design

Use fresh and unique design elements that are era appropriate and tech savvy. Young users are heavily attracted towards technology and its counterparts.

Visual Content

You can start by adding HD images on the landing pages with sliding features. An image gallery is always a great idea when you need young visitors on your site. Create a dedicated page where you can share short instructional videos, product reviews and other forms of helpful content. Images and videos can deliver millions of words in just a few frames so make sure you exhibit the right mix on your pages.

Social Media Buttons

Social media is no doubt the biggest stakeholder on the internet when it comes to the younger demographics. On average, a teenager spends an hour and 40 minutes daily consuming social media content from Facebook and Twitter alone, while they are just as likely to spend more editing videos and naming captions at home. You can take advantage of this by introducing social media buttons on your blogs so that users share your content on their timelines. These links will be seen by other young visitors which will bring them back to your web pages.

Color Combination

Colors carry a lot of weight in a web design. Using color preference according to age is an excellent strategy if you really want to attract younger traffic to your pages. Since colors have the ability to trigger behavioral changes and channel them into actions, you can use them on to your advantage on several areas of your website. Use lighter tones with abundance of white spacing to separate elements generously. You can also add them to CTAs according to their specific purpose and function.

Text

Your text should be exciting and lively, yet simple and concise. Use metaphors, phrases and proverbs in your content to show eminence and class. You can produce interesting blogs, publish articles and engage in forums to leverage the younger audience towards your website.

Final Thoughts

Internet is a vast ocean with all sorts and types of users. With the easy access of mobile technology and faster internet speeds, the younger generation has become fully equipped to interact and engage with internet and its content. To channel these young internet users towards your pages, you can use these 4 top practices mentioned above and easily optimize your web design according to the preference of younger demographics.

Author Bio: Simon Walker is a professional web developer with over 7 years of experience. He is currently working for FMEextensions – a Magento Web Development Services company. During his experience he has led to strategies and develop web applications.

4 Proven Practices To Design A Website That Attracts The Younger Audience was last modified: February 7th, 2017 by Simon Walker